My students in my evening university class are wondering what happened.

The mild-mannered teacher who gave them moderate amounts of homework during the last term has suddenly given them as much homework in two classes as he gave them in two weeks last term.

Unfortunately for them, the new course is intended to develop both reading and writing fluency and reading and writing speed and that means lots of writing and then even more writing. For example, they are required to write 150+ words a day in a journal. They can choose the topic, although I sometimes give them a topic that serves them for one day’s worth of journal.

On top of that they have readings, including reading scrolls that force them to read quickly and graded readers that force them to read, well, whatever reader we happen to have on hand.

Unfortunately, it also means more work for me. None of us will find mercy, I guess.